Ukraines Top Allies Meet in Paris on Security Guarantees

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with representatives from 35 countries, including 27 heads of state, in Paris on Tuesday as part of a US-brokered peace plan to bring an end to the nearly four-year war in Ukraine. The meeting, which includes senior US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, aims to establish a unified position among Ukrainian allies, European leaders, and the United States.

The gathering is part of a series of meetings planned for the new year as diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict have intensified. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed optimism about the meeting, stating that the focus will be on providing Ukraine with security guarantees to deter future Russian aggression in the event of a ceasefire.

Representatives from Russia are also expected to attend, although their participation is uncertain. The Trump administration’s shift in focus to Venezuela has raised questions about the meeting’s prospects for progress. The issue of territorial control remains a significant obstacle to negotiations, with Russia seeking full control of eastern Ukraine’s Donbas area.

The Donbas region consists of two areas: Luhansk, which Moscow controls entirely, and Donetsk, where Kyiv still holds a significant portion. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has warned that ceding territory would embolden Moscow and stated that he will not sign a peace deal that fails to deter Russia from invading again. The meeting’s outcome is uncertain, with few signals indicating that Russia is willing to accept the current proposals on the table.

Source: Al Jazeera